Method of and apparatus for finishing garments



June 21; 1949. R SANDS 2,473,823

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING GARMENTS Filed March 12, 1sa45 jn emorr of said coat hangers from the top bar 2] of the truck or carriage 22. The truck or carriage is then pushed into the interior chamber 5 of the cabinet 4 and the door 6 is closed. The main steam valve H is then opened, as is also the valve 9, whereupon the live steam will flow through the pipes I in the bottom of the chamber 5, and the live steam will be projected upwardly from the jet apertures I into the bottom openings of the garments which are suspended from the top bar 2| of the truck, thereby causing the garments to be distended and permitting the steam to pass through the fabric of the garments.

The steam used is preferably of a temperature whereby a relatively small quantity of same will be condensed on the fibers of the fabric, and most of the steam will pass off through the flue l9 which extends upwardly from the roof l8 of the cabinet. However there may be some incidental condensation of the steam on the side walls of the cabinet 4 as Well as on the under side of the roof I8 thereof. The water of condensation which accumulates on the top and sides of the cabinet will pass downwardly to the bottom of the cabinet and will thence be drained off through the pipe 29 provided at the bottom thereof.

While steam is being supplied to the jet pipes 1 in the bottom of the chamber a portion of the same will be passing to the heater l3, and serve to heat the air which is supplied therethrough to the blower I4. However, the blower I 4 is not ordinarily actuated while the steam is being supplied to the discharge pipes I and after the garments have been subjected to the action of the steam for a sufficient length of time the valve 9 is closed thus cutting off further supply of steam to the pipes 'l.

The switch I! may now be operated to cause the motor Hi to actuate the vanes l5 of the blower I4 and thereby pump dry heated air into the interior of the chamber 5. It should be noted that the blower is arranged near one end of the cabinet 4 and that the outlet flue I9 is arranged at the other end thereof so that there will be an induced circulation of dry heated air through the chamber 5 of the cabinet which will take up any residual moisture within the garments and carry the same up through the flue l9.

By the foregoing arrangement there is provided a simple, eflicient, and relatively inexpensive apparatus by means of which large numbers of garments may be finished rapidly and expeditiously without necessitating the individual pressing of the same, resulting in a considerable saving of labor for finishing the garments in a satisfactory condition.

I claim:

1. The method of simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments which comprises subjecting said garments in a closed chamber to the action of steam projected upwardly from below said garments whereby a portion thereof will pass directly into the bottom openings of said garments thereby to distend the same and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, and thereafter subjecting said garments without moving the same from or in said chamber to the action of dry heated air to remove any residual moisture remaining in the garments.

2. The method of simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments which comprises subjecting said garments in a closed chamber to the action of steam projected upwardly whereby a portion of the same will pass directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the same and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, and immediately thereafter subjecting said garments while still in said chamber to the action of dry heated air to remove any residual moisture remaining in the garments.

3. The method of simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments which comprises suspending said garments side by side in a closed chamber and then subjecting them to the action of steam projected upwardly whereby a portion of the same will pass directly int-o the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the same and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, and immediately thereafter subjecting said garments, without disturbing the same or removing them from the chamber, to the action of dry heated air.

4. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments comprising a closed cabinet having an internal chamber, portable means for suspending the garments side by side in said chamber in close proximity to each other, means disposed in the bottom of the chamber for projecting steam upwardly directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, and means for projecting dry heated air into the chamber to circulate the same through and about the garments while they are in the chamber.

5. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments comprising a closed cabinet having an internal chamber, portable means for suspending the garments side by side in said chamber in close proximity to each other, means disposed in the bottom of the chamber for projecting steam upwardly directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, a blower for projecting air into the chamber to circulate the same through and about the garments in the chamber and means for heating the air which is projected into the chamber by the blower.

6. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments comprising a closed cabinet having an internal chamber, portable means for supporting the garments side by side in said chamber in close proximity to each other, means disposed in the bottom of the chamber for projecting steam upwardly directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, a flue extending from the top of the chamber near one end thereof, a blower for projecting air into the chamber at the other end thereof, and means for heating the air which is projected into the chamber by the blower.

7. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments comprising a closed cabinet having an internal chamber, portable means for supporting the garments side by side in said chamber in close proximity to each other, a plurality of steam pipes disposed in the bottom of the chamber and having outlets for projecting steam upwardly directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, a fiue extending from the top of the chamber near one end thereof, a blower for projecting air into'the chamber at the other end thereof, and means for heating the air which is projected into the chamber by the blower.

openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments carried by the truck and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, and means for projecting dry heated air into the chamber.

9. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a placed in and removed from the chamber, means disposed in the bottom of the chamber for projecting steam upwardly directly into the bottom plurality of garments comprising a closed cable, net having an internal chamber, a wheeled truck having a top member from which the garments are suspended side by side in close proximity, means disposed in the bottom of the chamber for projecting steam upwardly directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments carried by the truck and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, a blower;

for projecting air into the chamber, and means for heating the air which is projected into the chamber by the blower.

10. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments comprising a closed cabinet having an internal chamber, a Wheeled truck having a top member from which the garments are suspended side by side in close proximity, means disposed in the bottom of the chamber for projecting steam upwardly directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments carried by the truck and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, a flue extending from the top of the chamber near one end thereof, a blower for projecting air into the chamber at the other end thereof, and means for heating the air which is projected into the chamher by the blower.

11. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments comprising a closed cabiopenings of the garments thereby to distend the garments carried by the truck and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, a flue extend ing from the top of the chamber near one end thereof, a, blower for projecting air into the chambet at the other end thereof, and means for heating the air which is projected into the chamber by the blower.

12. Apparatus for simultaneously finishing a plurality of garments comprising a closed cabinet having an internal chamber, a wheeled truck "having a top member from Which the garments are suspended side by side in close proximity, a

door at one end of the cabinet whereby the truck with the garments carried thereby may be placed in and removed from the chamber, a plurality of steam pipes disposed in the bottom of the chamber and having. outlets for projecting steam I upwardly directly into the bottom openings of the garments thereby to distend the garments carried by the truck and to permeate the fabrics thereof with the steam, at fiue extending from the top of the chamber near one end thereof, a

blower for projecting air into the chamber at the other end thereof, and means for heating the air which is projected into the chamber by the net having an internal chamber, a wheeled truck having a top member from which the garments are suspended side by side in close proximity, a door at one end of the cabinet whereby the truck with the garments carried thereby may be blower.

ROBERT E. SANDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 646,327 Therien Mar. 27, 1900 a 783,868 Jarrett Feb. 28, 1905 11,010,694 Shannon Dec. 5, 1911 1,251,510 Grosvenor Jan. 1, 1918 1,759,179 Wiesman May 20, 1930 1,763,193 Shields June 10, 1930 2,350,021 Dunn May 30, 1944 

